Combined fence post and stretcher



Nov. 27, 1923. 1,475,884

, W. Li ROMBACK COMBINED FENCE POST AND STRETCHER Filed Feb. 21 1921 WL Jiam back QJMM I INVENTOR 6. 231mm BY 04% gm ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

WILLIAM L. ROMBACK, OF WESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINED FENCE POST AND STRETCHER.

Application filed February 21, 1821. Serial No. 446,936.

To all whom 2'16 may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. ROM- BACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vv'eston, in the county of Lewis and State of W'est Virginia, have invented new and useful. Improvements in Combined Fence Posts and btretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lo fence posts, the principal object of the invention being to provide means on the post for stretching the fence wires so that said wires can be stretched when the fence is first put up and any slack which may develop 15 after the fence has been up for some time may be taken out.

Another object of the invention is to provide ratchet mechanism for holding the tension on the wires.

Still another object of the invention is to provide detachable means for actuating the stretching means so that after the wires have been stretched said means can be removed to prevent tampering with the stretching llleZLllS.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the sevcral views, and in which Figure 1 is a view of a fence post constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure is a detail view.

As shown in these views the post 1 is formed of angle iron and braces 2 may be pivotally secured to the upper part of this post by the bolt 3. These braces 2 may be connected with another part of the post by means of the horizontal pieces at which are suitably connected with the braces 2 and are secured to the post by the bolt 5.

The means for securing the wires to the post and for tensioning the wires consists of a pair of pipes or rods 6, one at each side of the post and rotatably supported from the post by means of the V-shaped brackets? which are riveted to the post and provided with eyes 8 at their ends for receiving the pipes or rods 6. The ends of each bracket are connected together by the cross piece 9 which passes across the base or open side i of the post, the ends of these cross pieces being suitably secured to the brackets, 7 and are designed to complete the eye 8. Any desired number of these brackets and cross pieces are provided for connecting the pipes with the post and the upper ends of the pipes are provided with collars 10 and said collars at the upper ends of the pipes are perforated as at 11 to receive pins 12 which are adapted to engage openings formed in the shanks of the eye bolts 13. These bolts are adapted to be inserted in the upper open ends of the pipes and to be connected with. said pipes by the pins 12. Then by inserting a rod or the like in the eye of the bolt the rod or pipe can be rotated so as to wind the wires thereon and thus take up the slack in the wires. The pipes or rods 6 are provided with perforations 14 for receiving the ends of the wires.

In order to prevent the retrograde rotation of the pipes after tension has been placed upon the wires 1 provide ratchet mechanism which consists of a sprocket 15 on each pipe and dogs 16 which are hinged together by the bolts and a spring 18 on said bolt tends to hold the dogs in engagement with the sprocket. A seat 19 is formed in the post for receiving the hinged ends of the dogs.

It will thus be seen that after the fence wires have been threaded through the openings l4 and suitably secured therein and the eye bolt placed in the upper end of the pipe, each pipe can be rotated by a bar or lever placed in the eye of the bolt so as to wrap the wires on the pipe and thus take up the slack therein. After the wires are tightened the eye bolt may be removed to prevent any one tampering with the device. The ratchet mechanism will hold the pipes against the tension of the wires. Any slack in the wires which may develop after the fence has been up some time can be removed by simply winding the wires upon the pipes to a further extent.

My improved post may be placed at the porner or at any place desired in the fence It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention Will be readily apparent.

I desire it tobe understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is A combined fence post and Wire tightener comprising a channel shaped post, a' plurality of, spaced V-shaped brackets having their inclined ends secured to the inclined portion of the channel shaped post, the ends of the brackets extending beyond the ends of the inclined portions of the post and terminally formed to providea portion of. an eye, a cross piece,

for each pair having their ends secured to the ends of each bracket and said ends of the cross pieces being designed to complete the eye, a pair of pipes provided With spaced perforations each of. Which being arranged parallel with the spaced edges of the inclined portions of the post and being trained through the adjacent eyes for a rotatable movement therein, a sprocket secured to each pipe intermediate of the ends thereof, each of which being adapted to lie in the same horizontal plane, a pair of spring held pivoted dogs adapted to engage the teeth of the sprockets and an eye bolt rigidly secured to the upper end of each pipe for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

WILLIAM L. ROMBACK. 

